MOST people tend to put on the pounds during the winter, but Newport boxer Lee Churcher has bucked the trend by shedding a stone for his first fight of the year.

The former Army fitness instructor, pictured, returns to active service on Saturday, March 5, at the newly-opened MECA venue in Swindon where he will campaign for the first time as a light middleweight.

The 30-year-old was two divisions higher in his previous outing, when he lost on points to Jamie Ambler at the Newport Leisure Centre in October.

His scheduled fight on the George & Dragons Promotions bill in Newport last week fell through at the last minute but now he is comfortably scaling 11 stone and feels that the weight loss could propel his career in a new direction.

Churcher said: “I always boxed at either middle or super middleweight as both an amateur and professional.

“Quite often I would find myself against taller opponents with a longer reach.

“But dropping down a weight makes that disadvantage less pronounced and it is bound to be of benefit to me.

“It is going to be my first fight outside of Wales as a professional, but you have to be adaptable in this game – you cannot expect to box in your home city all the time.

“I was scheduled to box last week but the bout fell through just a few days before the fight. I never left the gym and was hoping that another chance would soon appear.

“And having a date firmly on the calendar gives me something to aim at. I want to exorcise that last defeat against Jamie Ambler and this will give me the chance to get back to winning ways – I’m aiming for victory number five.

“It is a great venue with a seven-fight bill and I hope I’ll bring plenty of support across the Severn Bridge with me.”

Tickets for the March 5 MECA bill start at £30 with a VIP package also available at £60. Contact Lee Churcher on 07947 679616. MECA is located at Regent Circus, Swindon SN1 1PR.